Short Rib Lasagna Rolls

Ingredients

Ribs:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 1/2 pounds beef short ribs
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 2 (4-inch) sprigs fresh rosemary
• 2 cups red wine, such as pinot noir
• 2 cups beef broth

Filling:

• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups grated Pecorino Romano (6 ounces)
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella (4 ounces)
• 1 (10-ounce) packet frozen spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed of excess liquid
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
• 12 lasagna noodles (about 10 ounces)
• Butter, for greasing baking dish
• 1 (25-ounce) jar marinara sauce
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• Olive oil, for drizzling

Directions

For the ribs: In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed stockpot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Season the ribs with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Add the ribs to the pan and cook until brown, about 4 minutes each side. Remove the ribs and set aside. Add the onions, garlic, and rosemary. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onions are translucent and soft, about 5 minutes. Increase the heat to high. Add the wine and scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the beef broth and ribs to the pan. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pan, and cook until the meat is very tender , 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Remove the ribs and set aside until cool enough to handle, about 20 minutes. Discard the bones and cooking liquid. Using 2 forks, shred the meat into 2-inch long pieces (to yield approximately 2 1/4 cups shredded meat).

For the filling: In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, bring the milk and cream to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low. Add the cheeses and whisk until melted and the sauce is smooth. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the spinach, basil, and garlic. Place the shredded meat in a medium bowl and pour the spinach mixture on top. Add the salt and pepper. Using a fork, mix until combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Place an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 13-inch glass baking dish.

Spread 1 cup marinara sauce in the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Lay 4 noodles flat on a dry work surface. Spread 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the filling mixture evenly along each noodle. Roll up and place seam-side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and filling to make 12 lasagna rolls. Spoon the remaining marinara sauce on top and sprinkle with Parmesan. Drizzle with olive oil, and bake until the lasagna rolls are heated through and the cheese is beginning to brown, about 25 minutes.

Carrot and Yam Purre

Carrot and Yam Purre

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 pounds carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 pounds yams, ends trimmed, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup water

Directions

In a saucepan or Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until aromatic. Add the carrots, yams, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook for 5 minutes until slightly softened. Add the stock and water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the carrots are tender, about 25 minutes. Using a ladle, remove 2 cups of the cooking liquid and reserve. Using an immersion blender, puree the mixture until slightly chunky, adding the reserved cooking liquid, 1/4 cup at a time, if needed. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Cook's Note: The carrot

Mushroom Melts

I confess the reason I made these for supper was because I was too lazy to defrost meat, I had no ideas and nothing prepared and had a mushrooms  and roasted red peppers in the fridge that I needed to use because we were going away for the week-end.  That being said these were really good.  My husband even commented that he liked the mayo red pepper spread that was on the top of the 'burgers'.  Best of all they were fast and easy to make.  You should enjoy some tonight!

Mushroom Melts


Ingredients

2 tbsp mayonnaise
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup finely chopped roasted red peppers
1 clove garlic, minced
4 large portobello caps, stems removed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp dried italian seasoning
salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
4 slices red onion
4 potato rolls or whole-grain buns
A few handfuls of mixed greens, arugula, or other lettuce



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Directions
Heat a grill or grill pan. Combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, red peppers, and garlic. (For a uniformly red mayo, puree in a food processor.)
Rub the mushrooms with the olive oil, vinegar, Italian seasoning, and salt and pepper. Grill, top side down, for 2 to 3 minutes, flip, and immediately add the cheese. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, until the cheese is melted and the mushrooms are fully cooked. While the mushrooms are cooking, grill the onions until browned and toast the buns.
Top each bun with greens, grilled onions, mushrooms, and the red pepper mayo.

Chipotle Bacon Sliders

It is grilling season and I live in a predominately male household where we like our burgers.  My kids devoured these.  In fact I am sure that would have eaten more if I had made more unfortunately for them I did not.  These were a nice twist on a regular burger without being to weird for my kids.

Chipotle Bacon Sliders

2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp chipotle pepper
1/2 lb ground chicken
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 oz shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
4 small soft rolls, about 2" in diameter
4 strips cooked bacon
Caramelized Onions

Directions
Remove the burgers. While the pan is still hot, toast the rolls. Brush them with a bit more steak sauce if you like, then top each with a burger and mushrooms.
Mix the mayo and chipotle pepper. Season the sirloin with salt and pepper; form into 4 patties, being careful not to overwork the meat (which will create dense, chewy patties). Brush each patty with steak sauce. When the pan is hot, add the burgers and cook for 3 minutes on the first side, then flip.  Add the cheddar on top and continue to cook for another 3 minutes. Spread the rolls with a bit of the mayo mixture, then top with the burgers, bacon, and caramelized onions.

Blueberry Yogurt Multigrain Pancakes

Blueberry Yogurt Multigrain Pancakes

Makes 12 to 14 4-inch pancakes

2 large eggs
1 cup plain, full-fat yogurt
2 to 4 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons butter, plus extra for buttering skillet
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (62 grams) whole wheat flour
1/2 cup (68 grams) all-purpose flour
1/4 cup (32 grams) barley or rye flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 cup blueberries, rinsed and dried

Melt half of butter. Remove from heat and stir in second tablespoon of butter until melted. This keeps your butter from being too hot when you next want to add it to the wet ingredients.

Whisk egg and yogurt together in the bottom of a medium/large bowl. If you’re using a thin yogurt, no need to add any milk. If you’re using regular yogurt, stir in 2 tablespoons milk. If you’re using a thick/strained or Greek-style yogurt, add 3 to 4 tablespoons milk. Whisk in melted butter, zest and vanilla extract. In a separate, small bowl, combine flours, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir dry ingredients into wet only until dry ingredients are moistened. A few remaining lumps is fine.

Preheat your oven to 200°F and have a baking sheet ready (to keep pancakes warm). Heat your skillet or saute pan to medium. If you’ve got a cast-iron skillet, this is my favorite for pancakes. Melt a pat of butter in the bottom and ladle a scant 1/4 cup (about 3 tablespoons) batter at a time, leaving at space between each pancake. Press a few berries into the top of each pancake. The batter is on the thick side, so you will want to use your spoon or spatula to gently nudge it flat, or you may find that pressing down on the berries does enough to spread the batter. When the pancakes are dry around the edges and you can see bubbles forming on the top, about 3 to 4 minutes, flip them and cook for another 3 minutes, until golden underneath. (If you listen closely, after a minute you’ll hear you blueberries pop and sizzle deliciously against the pan.) If pancakes begin cooking too quickly, lower the heat. Transfer pancakes to warm oven as they are done cooking, where you can leave them there until you’re ready to serve them.

Serve in a big stack, with fixings of your choice. Do not anticipate leftovers.

Piña Colada Sorbet

Piña Colada Sorbet

Adapted from Sarabeth Levine’s “Sarabeth’s Bakery”

Serve this sorbet with tropical fruits. Or, scoop it into a glass, douse it with rum, and serve as a slushy cocktail. 

Makes about 1 quart

• 3 CUPS CANNED UNSWEETENED PINEAPPLE JUICE (ABOUT 4 SMALL CANS)
• 1 CUP CANNED SWEETENED CREAM OF COCONUT (LIKE COCO LOPEZ, NOT COCONUT MILK), WHISKED WELL
• 2 TABLESPOONS FRESH LIME JUICE

1. Place all of the ingredients in a medium bowl, and whisk to combine.
2. Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker, and process according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
3. Pack the sorbet into a covered container, and freeze for at least 4 hours before serving.

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

Gluten-Free Chocolate Cupcake Recipe

My only complaint about this gluten-free chocolate cupcake recipe is that the cupcakes didn't dome (some even sunk a bit after cooling) and the ones that I filled too high got thin, crusty tops.  I believe that this happened because they were too light to support the weight of a dome (see my FAQ on collapsing cupcakes).  I was willing to deal with a few fallen cupcakes for the sake of such a light gluten-free cake.  No one will ever see the top of the cupcakes anyway since they will be slathered in frosting.  To ensure that your cupcakes don't overflow, be sure to only fill the liners halfway.

Yield: About 30 cupcakes

• 2 3/4 cups garbanzo bean flour, sifted twice
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 3/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup boiling water

1. In a large mixing bowl, mix flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. Mix in eggs, vanilla, olive oil, and milk until just combined.
3. Mix in water.
4. Fill cupcake liners just halfway.
5. Bake at 350 F for 25 minutes or until the top bounces back when lightly touched.

Crisp Flatbreads with Honey, Thyme and Sea Salt

Crisp Flatbreads with Honey, Thyme and Sea Salt
Flatbread base adapted from Gourmet; recipe inspired by Salinas

These crackers fit squarely between dinner and dessert. It goes well with a cheese course — oh, wait, you don’t have cheese courses with each meal at your house? Yeah, us neither, sigh — or at a cocktail party or maybe as a little summer afternoon something-something with a glass of wine or even as a dessert for people who do not throw themselves wholly into sweet things. The crackers play off the nutty cheese which plays off the slick of honey and faint crunch of sea salt with bits of thyme throughout and together they are even more than the sum of their parts. And they take no time to make.

As for the cheese you use, the restaurant uses a Mahon, which I was able to find, but I daresay you could try any other aged nutty cow milk cheese instead, or even a hard salty cheese like Romano or Parmesan instead. Yes, that’s a wide range. Mostly, it’s about a flavor you might enjoy here.

Makes about 16 flatbreads

1 3/4 cups (7 3/4 ounces or 220 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon table salt
1/2 cup (118 ml) water
1/3 cup (79 ml) olive oil
2/3 to 3/4 cup (about 3 ounces or 85 grams) grated Mahon cheese (see above for replacements)
1/3 to 1/2 cup (79 to 118 ml) honey
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
Flaky sea salt such as Maldon

Preheat oven to 450°F with a heavy baking sheet or pizza stone on a middle rack.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Make a well in center, then add water and oil and gradually stir into flour with a wooden spoon until a dough forms. Knead dough gently on a work surface 4 or 5 times. It will feel quite oily (but just think of how great your hands will look later!).

Divide dough into 4 pieces and roll out 1 piece at on a sheet of parchment paper into a longish irregular rustic shape; mine were about 12″x6″. The dough should be rolled thin and it be crazy oily and you’ll think I’ve lost my mind suggesting that it will make anything but a mess, but you’ll see in a few minutes how perfectly ungreasy it bakes up, promise.

Slide rolled out dough and parchment paper together onto the preheated baking sheet or stone, and bake about 5 minutes, until lightly golden. Leaving the oven on, remove tray from oven and quickly sprinkle with 1/4 of grated cheese. Bake an additional 3 to 4 minutes, until browned at edges and in thinner spots. Remove flatbreads from oven a final time, quickly drizzle each with honey (1 used about a tablespoon per flatbread, but the restaurant used more; they were truly flooded with honey and it was delicious), sprinkle with sea salt and garnish with thyme leaves. Cut each cracker width-wise into 4 sections (about 3″x6″ each) with a sharp knife. Repeat with remaining pieces of dough. Serve warm.

Do ahead: Should you want to prepare these ahead of time for a party, I’d bake them including the cheese about 1 minute less than needed. Shortly before you’re ready to serve them, re-toast them in the oven and then drizzle on the honey/thyme/sea salt.

Broccolini rigatoni

Broccolini rigatoni
slightly adapted from the wonderful Jamie Oliver's Meals in Minutes; I bought it on amazon.co.uk

250g broccolini or broccoli
½ small onion
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon capers, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
finely grated zest of ½ lemon
a few sprigs of fresh thyme, stalks removed
200g rigatoni
generous handful finely grated parmesan, plus more to serve
handful of basil leaves

Slice all the broccolini florets from the stalks and set the florets aside. Place the stalks, the onion, the garlic and the capers in a food processor and process until a rough paste forms.
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan and add the broccolini paste. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add ¼ cup (60ml) hot water, season with salt, pepper, the lemon zest and the thyme leaves and stir.
Meanwhile, cook the rigatoni in a large saucepan of rapidly boiling salted water until al dente, adding the broccolini florets to the water in the last minutes of the cooking time.
Drain the pasta and broccolini florets reserving about ½ cup (120ml) of the cooking water. Transfer the pasta and broccolini to the pan with the paste, add the parmesan and basil leaves and mix to combine everything together. If necessary, add a little of the reserved cooking water to loosen the pasta sauce.
Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with more parmesan and serve at once.

Serves 2

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Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bottomed Cupcakes

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookie Bottomed Cupcakes
makes 18-20 cupcakes
cookie layer:
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup brown sugar, loosely packed
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Sift flour, baking soda, and salt together and set aside in a bowl.
Beat butter and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer until it’s light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla and beat until combined. Add in dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Line a muffin tin with liners and give each a quick spritz of non-stick spray. Using a spoon also sprayed with non-stick spray, press about 1 1/2 tablespoons of cookie dough into the bottom of each liner.
cake layer:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
2 whole eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla and beat until combined.
Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Add half of the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Add the milk. Once mixed, add remaining dry ingredients. Using an ice cream scoop, drop batter on top of cookie dough mixture. Bake cupcakes at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes.

Slow cooker Asian Shredded Pork

I am loving my slow cooker.  You throw all the ingredients together in the morning turn in on low, forget about it and come back later and everything is cooked and ready to go for supper.  I have also recently discovered Chinese 5-spice powder and I really like it.  It adds a distant warm flavour to a dish.  My family enjoyed this roast and I used the extra to make Asian wraps the next night.  So crack out the slow cooker, you may have a new best friend as well.  

Slow cooker Asian Shredded Pork

The Ingredients.



4 pounds boneless beef or pork roast

1/2 cup gluten free soy sauce

1/2 cup gluten free hoisin sauce

6 tablespoons ketchup

6 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons Chinese 5-spice powder

2 teaspoons garlic powder (or 6 cloves, minced)



The Directions.



Use a 5 quart slow cooker. Trim any visible fat from the meat, and plop it into your stoneware. My meat was fresh, but it's okay if your meat is still frozen. Sprinkle the dried spices directly onto the meat, and top with the ketchup and honey. Pour in the soy and hoisin sauces. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours, or until meat shreds easily with a fork. You may need to take the meat out and cut in chunks after 8 hours, then turn to high for an hour or so to get it to shred nicely (I did this).

Serve over white or brown basmati rice, 

Honey Glazed Chicken and Bacon Bites

Okay, I know what was I thinking?  So not healthy for you.  So not in any way shape or form sticking with the new 'healthy' eating program, but so good tasting.  Doesn't bacon just make everything better?  In my books it does.  These were delicious.  My kids and my husband devoured them.  One of my sons has even put in a request for more.  So if you want something totally good tasting but really bad for you try these.

Honey Glazed  Chicken and Bacon bites

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless chicken breasts
20 thin bacon slices
3 tbsp honey
2 tsp coarse mustard
fresh lemon juice
Optional: salt
Directions:
1.  Cut the chicken breasts in thin strips. Not too thin, the bacon has to brown and if the chicken is too thin it’ll get dry before the bacon gets crispy.
2.  Grab a bowl and combine 3 tbsp honey with 2 tsp coarse mustard.

Squeeze in some lemon juice. Not too much, about a tbsp or so.
3.  Wrap the bacon around the chicken strips.  To aid the clean up, line the tray or sheet with some tin-foil first.
4.  Brush the chicken bites with half the marinade.
5.  Bake them in a preheated oven at 425F (225C) for 10 to 13 minutes. Until the bacon is crispy.
As soon as one side is done, take the tray out of the oven. Flip them over and brush them with the remaining marinade.
6.  Put them back in the oven for another 10 to 13 minutes, until the other side is crispy as well. Keep an eye on them.

Cinna-Bun Butter cakes in a Jar

I recently went a picnic pot luck at our church.  I had to set and host my own "picnic" table I also had to provide favours.  Lucky for me this post came to my inbox just days earlier.  These cakes were super easy to make, really tasty and looked really cool.  They were a hit as a favour and I would definitely do it again.  Although for a different function. 

 

 

Cinna-Bun Butter cakes in a Jar

1 yellow butter cake mix, I used Betty Crocker

1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil

1/2 cup sour cream

3 eggs

1 small package vanilla instant pudding mix

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup light packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cold

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and spray baking jars of choice with non-stick cooking spray.

2. Place cake mix, oil, sour cream, eggs, and pudding mix into the bowl of a stand or electric mixer, beating until well combined, about 1 minute.

3. Place flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt into a medium bowl, mixing to combine. Cut cold butter into small cubes, add to flour mixture and use a pastry cutter or a fork and cut butter into mixture until well combined and crumbly. Takes a good 5 minutes.

4. Depending on the size of jar you use, this step will be different for every size. For the tiny jars I used, I placed about 2 tablespoons cake mix into the bottom, topped with 2 tablespoons cinnamon mix and topped with another 1 tablespoon of cake mix. No matter what size of jar you use, only fill it 1/2 full or you’ll end up slicing off the top that bakes over the top. Use your best judgement according to the size jar you are using. Layer cake mix and cinnamon topping until you reach 1/2 full of your jar.

5. For my tiny jars, I baked them for 19 minutes and they were perfect. If using larger jars just keep a close eye on them after 20 minutes of baking. Carefully remove hot jars from oven, let cool then close with lids. Find some cute tags and wrap around top with a ribbon.